


Solace

by TheShortestManOnEarth



Series: AdorableSparkleChallenge [3]
Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Alternate Scenario for Season 4 episodes 11 and 12, F/F, If Adora and Glimmer had gotten a chance to talk before Glimmer ran off to the Fright Zone, Mentions of some trauma and nightmares from Beast Island, adorablesparklechallenge, prompt: sorrow
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-11
Updated: 2020-08-11
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:15:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25833376
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheShortestManOnEarth/pseuds/TheShortestManOnEarth
Summary: Part 3 of the AdorableSparkleChallenge: Sorrow PromptAlternate ending to Episode 12: Destiny Part 1 if Adora had caught Glimmer a little before she left and they had actually gotten a chance to talk. And if Adora had talked to Micah about Beast Island and dealing with loss.  Please see the chapter for specific content warnings.
Relationships: Adora & Glimmer (She-Ra), Adora & Micah (She-Ra), Adora/Glimmer (She-Ra)
Series: AdorableSparkleChallenge [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1870189
Comments: 4
Kudos: 14





	Solace

**Author's Note:**

  * For [curiousscientistkae](https://archiveofourown.org/users/curiousscientistkae/gifts).



> Hey All,
> 
> This is my submission for the 3rd Prompt of the AdorableSparkleChallenge: Sorrow (see the end notes for the Discord link). 
> 
> This ended up being more serious than the last two prompts and I bumped the rating because the nightmare flashbacks Adora has get a little graphic in detail. 
> 
> I also need to give a shout out/credit to CuriousScientistKae and Osprey on the Discord. This fic was inspired by the cover image for CuriousScientistKae's fic "Her Beacon of Hope" (which you should check out here on AO3) drawn by Osprey on Twitter. I don't think the Beast Island arc's impact on the characters was ever fully discussed in canon and I wanted to cover it a bit in this story. 
> 
> Thank you to everyone on the Discord for your kudos and support. It means so much. A huge thanks to CountDorku and Athetos for both of your kind comments. Please check out CountDorku's prompts for the AdorableSparkleChallenge too. All of them are up now. 
> 
> CW: Some graphic descriptions of the Beast Island plants attacking Adora in her nightmare. No gore, but I wanted to issue a warning just in case. 
> 
> Thank you all for reading! I hope you like this fic. I will try to make the next two a little little fare/fluffier to make up for this being so serious. I wasn't expecting it to be this long or serious but angst is like second nature to me for some reason. 
> 
> Enjoy!

Adora was always running. It was never to escape or to run away. Rarely was there a moment when she hesitated if she sensed someone needed her help. She had no patience for sitting still. When Glimmer had been taken by Shadow Weaver she had to rush in and save her. Even if it meant giving herself up, risking a loss of everything she knew to be true. When they returned it was hard to do anything other than punch things. It felt like that was all she knew. Punching, battling, struggling, always treading water in the largest ocean in the galaxy. No matter how hard she tried to stay above the surface, she could feel it dragging her down, cold black coils wrapping around her and reminding her that she couldn’t heal Glimmer. 

Or that she couldn’t save Angella. She pulled hard, gasping, and splashing around and tugging as the light vanished from above. She couldn’t give up, not now, not when there was still so much do. The coils wrapped around her neck and she felt the air leave her lungs. She grasped the black tendrils and yanked. They wouldn’t budge. Only She-Ra could light the way, to cut through the coiling reminders of doubt, of regret, and shame. With a yell she drew her sword and sliced down hard. The coils fell away, and she found herself standing on her bed, the remains of her bedsheets in tatters at her feet. 

“What…” She looked around. Her shirt was soaked in sweat she noted. Her hands were clammy and shaking. With a long inhale she closed her fists and dropped to sit on the edge of the bed. This wasn’t the first time she’d dreamt about Beast Island since returning to Bright Moon and if her state of mind were any indication, it would ‘t be the last. There wouldn’t be much of a chance of sleeping at this point. 

She stood up and made her way to the door. A quick glance up and down the hallways confirmed there weren’t any guards to ask unnecessary questions. Under normal circumstances she’d make her way to Glimmer’s room. But facing the Queen now, when all the blonde warrior could think about was how she’d left Glimmer behind struck Adora as terrifying. Until Beast Island she hadn’t considered how scared she was of losing the pink haired girl’s respect and support. How would she? Until now she’d taken solace in the fact that Glimmer would always, for better or worse, be there for the warrior. What could she say to Glimmer after all this time? That even though the light that burned away the choking, constricting, and suffocating restraints tightening around the blonde’s mind was Adora’s promise to protect the Queen, to fulfill a promise, there was still the fact that the warrior let Glimmer face the Horde alone. That Angella wasn’t here anymore. 

Adora continued her way to the kitchens. It wasn’t as though she had consciously decided to go there. Her body was on autopilot and no matter how hard she tried; she couldn’t collect the pieces of her emotional state enough to sort out what she was supposed to feel. Even though she had caught Glimmer right before she left for the Fright Zone, the Queen didn’t register Adora’s presence much. Micah on the other hand, was all Glimmer talked about. Not enough time could be revived or salvaged to make up for the years he spent away from his family. 

Bringing Micah back was the only thing that Adora felt had gone well about the trip to Beast Island. The rest was a tangled mess of apprehension and regret. The warrior had walked into the kitchen, lost in thought, her mind spiraling in so many directions that when the other person in the room spoke, she nearly crashed into a hanging rack of pans and pots. 

“Hello, Adora.” The warrior girl let out an extremely low yelp of surprise before registering that it was only Micah in front of her. He was sitting at the table, a platter of assorted foods before him and a hot cup of what Adora surmised was tea. His eyes narrowed a little as his eyes took in her disheveled appearance. The King’s eyes examined the sweat on her brow, the wrinkled sleepwear, and the way she kept glancing around as if expecting an attack at any moment. As if one could call the clothes Adora wore to bed sleepwear. She hadn’t quite kicked the habit of dressing for bed in clothing she could hypothetically wear out to combat. Horde training for preparation for battle at any moment had a lasting effect on her. 

“King Micah?” Adora breathed, her initial shock wearing off. “What are you doing up?” The King smiled, popping a piece of cheese into his mouth, and smiling contentedly. 

“I guess being away from home so many years made me wonder what I’d been missing food-wise all this time.” He chewed thoughtfully and then wrinkled his brow a little. “Although, I don’t think any of this will ever compare to bugs.” Adora couldn’t say she agreed with that assessment, but then again, she thought grey ration bars were the peak of gourmet food growing up in the Horde. It wasn’t immediately apparent, but Micah did have a lot more in common with the warrior girl than she anticipated. 

“Join me?” Micah gestured to the pile of food. The warrior didn’t have a good excuse to turn down the offer, so she took the seat opposite the dark-haired man. He stood up momentarily to grab a cup from one of the cabinets and poured the girl a cup of tea from the teapot sitting on the table. “Sorry, it might a bit cool at this point.” 

Adora shrugged and sipped. It was a strange combination of flavors that she wouldn’t have thought to put together. But it tasted calming. “It’s nice.” 

Micah smiled at her and sipped his own tea. “So, I told you why I’m up. Why are _you_ up, hm?” Adora blinked at the gentle, yet firmly chiding look he gave her. She’d seen similar ones coming from Shadow Weaver when Adora had done something inadvisable, but not quite bad enough to warrant being punished harshly. It was rare enough, but the look that Micah gave her reminded Adora of the feeling she had when her caretaker had given her some sense of guidance. 

“Forgive this old father for prying, but I know that look.” Micah continued. He didn’t seem bothered by her silence. The warrior girl put on a broad smile and waved her hand. 

“Oh, you know, just patrolling the castle. Someone has to keep an eye on things.” The girl said. Micah’s cocked brow and the thin line that formed on his face told her he didn’t believe it for a moment. Instead of endlessly questioning her like Glimmer might or encouraging her to open up like Bow would, the King closed his eyes. 

“If being on Beast Island taught me anything, it’s that you can’t take anything for granted. I spent so many years away from my family and I never got to see my daughter grow up. Or to see Angella one last time.” 

Adora looked down at her tea. The liquid rippled gently as either the warrior or the King put weight onto the table. Other than that, it remained serenely unaware of the tension around the room. 

“I’m sorry, Your Majesty. Angella’s death was my fault. She sacrificed herself for me. I should have stopped her.” The warrior said, bowing her head lowering and gripped the edge of the table, digging her nails into the wood. 

The King didn’t say anything for a minute and then stood up and crossed the room to put a hand on the girl’s shoulder. “I knew Angie very well. She was one of the most caring people I knew. She was cautious…the complete opposite of me, and meticulous.” The man took a long-ragged sigh, wiping the tears that had trickled down across his beard away. “But more importantly, she never did anything without a good reason. Angie loved Glimmer and everyone in Bright Moon kingdom. That’s what I loved most about her: that she cared more than anything about protecting what she cared about.” The man’s dark eyes met Adora’s hesitant blue. “I have to imagine that if she gave her life for you, that she cares deeply about you too, Adora. And that’s nothing to apologize for.” 

The girl’s lip trembled. “But…what if she was wrong? What if she should have been here for you? For Glimmer?” So many fears rushed through the warrior’s mind. There was no stopping them when her sense of up was flipping constantly. She was still caught in the web of dark thoughts on Beast Island. The words and air caught in her throat as if she never left. 

The King hummed thoughtfully and turned to walk over to the window. Outside the garden was visible. Despite the fact that it was night, that no sun could be seen, the garden still grew, still flourished, and there were still seeds to be planted. “Adora, there’s no simple answer to your question. Life isn’t made up of simple right or wrong answers. I’m sure you know that as She-Ra you can’t attack every problem with force. Some things require a delicate touch.” He jerked his head to the door and the two went outside. He bent over one of the bushes and pointed beyond the thorns around it to the tiny flowers blossoming, the light breeze flapping the petals. 

“I’ve met Perfuma briefly, I’d imagine she has a better understanding of this than I do. But while on Beast Island I saw that plants were deadly. Nothing like the ones I saw here. Coming back and walking past the garden was hard. I didn’t want to look at them. But one day I did and found that no matter how dark it is out here at night.” He held out a hand with a flower in it. “Things still grow and change.” Adora took the flower and cradled it in her palms. 

“I miss her. I barely knew her, but I miss her.” The warrior murmured, staring at the flower. “I felt like for the first time I could feel hope that she would be there for all of us… is that selfish?” 

Micah stroked his beard. “Perhaps. But you know, Adora, everyone’s allowed to be selfish sometimes. And I know she’d be happy to know that you loved having her here.” He didn’t press the girl any further as she stood silently, deep in thought. _If anyone had the right to be angry or sad about the whole situation,_ Adora thought, it was Micah. His wife, Glimmer’s mother, was gone. Why wasn’t he angry? Even Glimmer had gotten angry. 

“Your Majesty, can I ask you something?” The girl said, finally looking up. He nodded. “One of the last things Angella asked me to do was look after everyone. Especially Glimmer. But I don’t know if I can do that.” 

The King raised an eyebrow. “I’m not sure that’s a question exactly, but I think I understand what you’re after.” He stopped as he traced a finger across one of the leaves of the bush. “Indulge me in one more anecdote. I have plenty. Part of being a Dad.” The King said with a broad smile. “When I first met Angie, she was so afraid that she didn’t have the right kind of power to be the Queen I knew she would be one day. It’s hard to see the fire in your own eyes when you’re fighting for something, but you can be sure someone else will. It’s what kept me going on Beast Island.” A knowing smile gazed down at the blonde warrior then. “And I’m still here for my family. I think you feel the same about Glimmer.” 

Adora blinked and met his gaze. “W-what?” 

“Oh, come now, Adora. I may have been on an isolated island eating bugs for years now, but I still know what it looks like to be in love.” He clapped a hand to her shoulder. “If thinking of my daughter gives you that much fighting spirit, I’d say Angella made the right choice in entrusting her to you.” 

Adora looked back down at the flower and then breathed. Finally, her body felt loose again. Free and unrestricted. “Thanks, Your Majesty. I think I know what I need to do.” She was off at a run before another word could be said. 

The king smiled to himself and with a glow of his hand, a flower bud appeared where he had picked the other minutes before. Over the hedge the bright rays of orange, purple, and yellow crept into the sky, announcing the impending sunrise. 

Adora didn’t stop running until she reached the familiar door to the Queen’s chamber. She let out a low breath and knocked on the door. There was a minute’s pause where the warrior feared she’d be ignored or turned away. Then a low creak opened the room to her. There, sitting on the windowsill was the pink haired girl who had given Adora every reason to simultaneously love and doubt in herself. 

“Adora.” The word was a breath of fresh air, cooling and still full of warm relief. “I went to your room and you weren’t there.” 

The blonde stared. “You were looking for me?” In all her life the warrior had never thought that she could have someone wanting to follow her. When she’d run from the Horde, Catra hadn’t followed, except to eventually fight the blonde. But here, Glimmer never stopped chasing, never stopped following the warrior, and for the life of her, Adora couldn’t figure out why. 

“Yeah, I…think we need to talk.” The Queen stood. “If that’s okay.” A quake was hiding behind the words. If Adora wasn’t attuned to the way that her best friend usually talked, she would have missed it. A long silence lingered before the pink haired girl added hurriedly, “Unless you’d rather do it tomorrow?” 

Adora shook her head fervently and crossed the room to her friend in a couple quick strides. “I shouldn’t have left you, Glimmer.” 

“What? No, I’m the one who screamed at you. I know you loved my Mom and… she loved you.” _Just like I do._ The Queen guided the warrior to the bench near the window. “I’m sorry. For everything.” A grimace crossed her face. “I didn’t think about it when you left, but when you got back…I realized you could have been stuck on Beast Island, like Dad was. I should have gone after you.” Two lavender eyes lifted to stare into wide blue ones. “I don’t know what I’d do if you disappeared too.” 

Adora bit her lip. “Your Dad said the same thing. About Angella loving me. Do you really think it’s true?” 

Glimmer sighed, dragging her hand across her face. Of course, Micah had told Adora something like that. He probably said a bunch of other embarrassing stuff too. How many people needed to say it before the warrior believed it herself? More than ever the Queen wished she could take back all the horrible things she’d said. The way Adora’s eyes stared back, still shining but the usual clear blue-sky orbs were stormed over. Cloudy mist shrouded the light that normally shone through. Glimmer wasn’t one to balk from a challenge. Angella may have told Adora to take care of the former princess, and now Queen. But she’d said, “take care of _each other_ ” and not just for the warrior to shoulder it all alone. _Stars_ , Glimmer spat at herself. _I’d forgotten the most important thing._

“Mom wanted us to take care of each other, Adora. Because she loved you. Not just because she wanted you to take care of me. I messed up once on that front. I’m not doing it again. I’m going to take care of you.” 

The blonde’s eyes cleared but she opened her mouth. Glimmer gave her best friend a look and the warrior waited, surprised into silence. “If that means you need me to give you space or something, I’ll understand. You’ve always had the best interests of everyone at heart.” A light touch to the Queen’s hand caused her to look down. 

“Being away from you was horrible. Bow and I hated it. I kept thinking about whether or not you still thought I was your…” Adora’s voice broke. All she could see were brambles and thorns in her vision. A soft voice and the sparkle of the Queen’s hair as the light from the sunrise came through the window brought the branches back to a natural green. The leaves and buds still blossoming. 

“I’ll never stop being your friend.” Glimmer said. “I’m not that easy to get rid of.” She smiled. Adora looked at her friend and the smile that broke through was only outshined by the fiery sun that glowed from the warrior’s eyes as she buried her face in Glimmer’s shoulder. Two purple clad arms wrapped around the blonde and this time the tight hold was gentle, soothing, and in that moment Adora knew that Glimmer was her solace. Whenever they fumbled, whenever they were drowning in their worst emotions, the sky darkened with the thorns and tendrils of deception, there was always a small bud waiting to break free. Adora pulled back just enough to tuck the flower from the garden into Glimmer’s hair. “Where’d you get that from?” 

“Your Dad gave it to me.” The warrior said, mumbling her words at this point. She was exhausted. Heat filled the Queen’s cheeks at the implication. She would have some words with her father about not butting into her business, especially with the girl she was certain she was falling in love with. 

The Queen chuckled. “Of course, he did.” She took a deep breath and took in the feel of Adora’s warm body as it slowly relaxed. 

“Do you think you can climb up to bed yourself or should I teleport us?” Glimmer asked. The blonde grumbled something about being too comfortable. “Adora, I am not sleeping on a hard bench.” The statement elicited a sigh from the blonde. 

“I can walk.” The blonde started to move and nearly stumbled. Glimmer caught her and with a grunt of exertion lifted the blonde up in a semi-bridal style. For once Glimmer was relieved Adora had no idea what that was, and that the Horde didn’t teach about wedding traditions as the blonde pressed her head against the Queen’s shoulder. A serene expression drifted across the warrior’s features and by the time the sparkles of the teleportation delivered them to the hovering bed, Adora was sound asleep. The Queen laid her friend down and pulled the covers over them. She scooted over and cradled the blonde. Angella and Micah had seen something immediately that Glimmer was only now starting to see. Glimmer was Adora’s solace, and the warrior, in turn was the Queen’s anchor. She grounded the ship of the rebellion on its rough seas and gave the heart of the ruler a brighter view of the future. If Glimmer could clear the brambles in the dead of the night, then Adora was the sun to make the flowers grow the next day. There was always a new day on the horizon. 

“I’ve got you.” Glimmer whispered. And Adora had, at long last, come to a complete rest.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!
> 
> Link to the Challenge Discord for today: https://discord.gg/ghwywJ


End file.
